Florida Panthers forward Jonah Gadjovich is expected to be sidelined for approximately three months due to an upper-body injury sustained in a recent game. Head coach Paul Maurice announced the news ahead of the team's matchup with the San Jose Sharks. Gadjovich will undergo surgery next Tuesday.
The injury occurred during the Panthers' 3-0 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 25. Maurice provided the update on Saturday prior to the game at SAP Center against the Sharks, set for 10 p.m. ET.
"He is going to have surgery next Tuesday for an injury he sustained in the Vegas game, and it’ll be a three-month recovery," Maurice said.
Gadjovich, a 27-year-old forward and key contributor to the Panthers' run to a second straight Stanley Cup last summer, has appeared in 10 games this season. He has recorded three assists, 30 hits, and a +2 plus-minus rating. In last year's playoffs, he tallied three points (two goals, one assist), 63 hits, and 11 blocked shots over 16 games.
With Gadjovich out, rookies Noah Gregor and Luke Kunin have stepped in on the forward lines. Kunin has played 10 games, registering one assist, 16 hits, and 12 blocked shots. Gregor, who has appeared in the last four games, has six shots and four hits.
The Panthers, fresh off a 3-0 shutout win against Vegas, continue their West Coast road trip with the Sharks game.